


Side by Side

by Maverick



Category: Primeval
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-24
Updated: 2009-12-24
Packaged: 2017-10-05 04:37:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/37882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maverick/pseuds/Maverick
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stephen didn't know what the future would hold or what havoc the past could bring, but he knew that he and Nick could face anything together, side by side.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Side by Side

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Claire](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Claire/gifts).



Having spent the last decade tracking and hunting the deadliest creatures on Earth -- and recently those throughout time -- Stephen Hart was damn sure the most dangerous animal of all was Helen Cutter and he needed to do something to stop whatever plan she had set in motion. He had let her use him as a weapon against Nick and there was no way in hell, he was going to let her do that again.

Nick had said the world had shifted, and Stephen believed him. But nothing had changed for him, Nick was still the center of his universe, had been the center of his universe since the first time Stephen had walked into his classroom. But seeing Nick confused and out of sorts had put Stephen on edge. And there was only one way to set things right. It wasn't something he was looking forward to, but it was something that had to be done.

And as if on cue, Nick woke up and reached across the bed for Stephen, his fingers splaying across Stephen's chest. "Were there bloody raptors in the shopping center?"

Stephen smiled and covered Nick's hand with his own. "Yep. But never fear, we herded them back through the anomaly before too much permanent damage was done."

Flipping over onto his back, Nick sighed. "The anomalies are happening more and more often."

"They are." Stephen bent his elbow, propping his head on his hand, and ran his other hand across Nick's chest to his heart, needing to anchor himself before he told Nick of his plan. "About that. It's not natural. We both know Helen's behind it, so I think it's time for me to let her seduce me."

Nick looked over at Stephen like he'd been replaced by one of the raptors they had sent back home. "Come again?"

Stephen kept his hand on Nick's chest, letting the contact calm them both down. "You keep saying the world's changed and Helen's at the center of it."

Nick turned his head to look into Stephen's eyes. "Aye, but explain to me how you sleeping with my wife _again_ is a solution to that problem?"

Stephen frowned. This was going to be harder than he thought. "I thought we were past that."

Nick closed his eyes and opened them again. "We are. For the most part."

Taking his hand off Nick's chest, Stephen tried to keep his anger in check. He knew he'd bollixed things up by not telling Nick about his affair with Helen, but once she had disappeared, he couldn't let himself bring Nick anymore pain even if it meant never relieving his own conscience. He'd let himself be a pawn in Helen's game. And the fact that he was naive enough to let her manipulate him like that was a shame that Stephen still felt deep in his bones. He had tried to explain that to Nick, tried to explain how sleeping with Helen was as close as he thought he could ever get to having Nick. He thought Nick had understood. If anyone knew how much of a manipulative bitch Helen could be, it was Nick. But Stephen guessed he hadn't understood it after all. "For the most part? If you don't trust me Nick, what the hell is the bloody point?" Stephen swung his legs around, away from Nick and sat up on the side of the bed.

Nick shifted until he was draped over Stephen's back, his breath warm against Stephen's ear. "I do trust _you_. I don't trust her, and I just don't think whoring yourself to Helen can end well in _any_ universe.

Standing up, Stephen turned around and pulled Nick to his feet and into his arms. "Hopefully, it won't come to that. But only by getting close to her can we figure out what she's up to."

Nick kissed his jaw and sat back down on the bed. "Make your case."

Stephen sat beside him and turned so he could look at Nick's face. "Helen's not going to trust you."

Nick shot him a wry smile. "Obviously."

"And she doesn't have a connection with Conner or Abby. I'm the only one."

"What makes you think, she'll trust you? You turned her down."

It was Stephen's turn to smile. "That's easy."

Nick cocked an eyebrow. "Easy?"

Placing his hand on Nick's thigh, Stephen splayed his fingers and squeezed. "Easy. We just have to have a row. Or more than one actually. Make it look like we're on the outs."

Nick frowned. "And that's easy?"

Actually, not really. If Helen's revelation proved anything, it was that it would take a helluva lot to shake the foundation that he and Nick had built. That gave Stephen comfort. He leaned over and kissed Nick, letting himself linger in the moment. "Helen has always thought it was about her." And Christ, it had never been about her. It had and always would be about the connection he shared with Nick, but Helen was too arrogant and too self-centered to see that. "We just play that weakness against her."

Nick let his head fall on Stephen's shoulder. "I still don't like it."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Stephen knew that he had Nick on board. "I don't like it either. But what she's doing -- whatever it is -- is bigger than you and me, Nick. We need to stop her."

Nick slid his arm around Stephen's waist before whispering in his ear. "You'll be careful?"

"Of course." Stephen cupped Nick's face in his hands and leaned in for a kiss.

Nick pulled back. "I'd also prefer if you didn't actually sleep with her."

Stephen smiled. "Understood. There's only one Cutter, I want in my bed."

This time it was Nick who leaned in for the kiss. It was almost magnetic, how they were drawn together, had always been drawn together. Stephen didn't know what the future would hold or what havoc the past could bring, but he knew that he and Nick could face anything together, side by side.

**Author's Note:**

> First off, I apologize for any blatant Americanisms. As I am not British and this was written in oh about 50 minutes, it has not been Brit-picked. Also, even with how series 2 played out, in my mind Stephen was playing Helen and no one will ever make me believe otherwise. And to Claire, I hope this brings you a little joy. You do so much to make fandom fun, so it was my intention to return the favor.


End file.
